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2 THE SHEPHERD • JANUARY 2024 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO Dear Fellow Sojourner: As the Christmas season turns into the New Year, I think of St. Nicholas of Myra who, in modern times, became “Old St. Nick.” I spoke to all my employees at our Christmas Luncheon recently and I reminded them of this Greek Orthodox Saint, best known for providing gold diaries to three orphaned girls. At night, he would climb a ladder and throw a bag of gold coins into their shoes while under the cover of darkness. This pro- vided support for the family, which other- wise may have led to an impoverished life and possible prostitution for these three young girls to support themselves. What does this imply: giving “first fruits” (gold coins) to others (other children with no social network), without fanfare (under the cover of darkness) or attention, to real people (symbolized by shoes)? I suggested to the people at the luncheon that if they were stressed by the holiday and suffering from unrealized expectations, then the anecdote can be as “simple” as giving of oneself to others (their neighbor) in small and big ways: a food drive, a toy drive, visit- ing isolated friends and neighbors, delivering sweaters and food packages to the homeless, and reconciling with estranged family. May- be awkward, yes, but not impossible. Simple and doable. So, as we conclude the celebration of Christ- mas and the 2023 year, find solace and com- fort in being a good steward, make an honor- able pledge to your beloved church, St. Spyr- idon, and reach out and volunteer your tal- ents and time to the thirty-seven ministries the parish supports. That is the “Reason for the Season” - building Christ’s Church and serving our neighbor - in big and small ways. So, please complete and mail your pledge card for 2024, and stretch your pledge to a “first fruit.” St. Nicholas of Myra did! You may do this online at www.stspyridon. org, or pay through your bank, or call the church office at 619-297-4165. The Stewardship Committee John Kalas, Chairperson We’ve just turned the page on another year. Many of us will reflect on the time past and look to the coming year. Many of us will make New Year’s resolutions to make a change in our lives. As I have mentioned be- fore, I have become a fan of the One Word Process from the book “One Word that Will Change Your Life” to come up with one word to guide my year. The One Word Process looks a lot like prayer and contemplation. In a nutshell, the process is about finding a single word that embodies the essence of your life at this moment. The first step is to take time to unplug from your daily life; to quiet your mind and ask your- self: What do I need; what areas of your life need the most change and why is this change necessary; what’s in my way; and what needs to go? The next step is to look up to God and listen. I have found this spiritual aspect of the process the most rewarding, forcing me to surrender control and seek understand- ing of my life and needs. I have found that during the process my life experiences seem to direct me towards a word. The last step of the process is to live your One Word. Like our faith, walking the talk becomes the chal- lenge. This year, the word “water” emerged as my One Word which symbolizes many things for me. The word took hold during the last month as I reflected on the baptism of Christ and my own baptism. In the words of an- other of my favorite books, “A River Runs Through It,” my mind became “haunted by waters.” One night while channel surfing the TV, I ran across the movie “Paul, Apostle of Christ.” The film tells the story of Paul and the plot focuses on his time in prison before being executed. There was one particular ex- change between Paul and his captor - Mau- ritius Gallas, the newly appointed prefect of the prison, that was such a beautiful meta- phor for our own lives that I wanted to share it. Paul says to Gallas: “Imagine yourself looking out at the vast sea before you. You reach down and put a hand into the water and you scoop it up towards you. Immediately the water starts leaking through your fingers until the hand is empty. That water is a man’s life. From birth to death it is always slipping through our hands until it is gone, along with all that you hold dear in this world. And yet the Kingdom I speak of - that I live for - is like the rest of the water out in the sea. Man lives for that cup of water that slips through his fingers. Those that fol- low Jesus Christ live for that endless expanse of sea.” Gallas responds “What if, after all this, I still do not believe in your Christ?” And Paul says: “I wasn’t trying to convince you, . . . Listen to me. There is only a moment. It is not me. It is Christ himself that looks upon you and shatters your defenses and in that moment you will understand that you are complete- ly known by God... and you are completely loved. I will pray that moment comes for you.” Isn’t that the perfect moment we all pray for and await? I now find myself thinking about life and my walk towards Him each time I wash my hands. On January 7, 2023, we will be celebrating Jesus’ Baptism in the River Jordan. For us as Orthodox Christians, baptism is the mystery of starting anew, of dying to an old way of life and being born again into a new way of life, in Christ. I once read that faith is like wading into the water of the ocean; some get ankle deep; others wade into their waste; still others wade in as far as they can while still touching ground; but few go in all the way, immersed and surrounded only by the water. I continue to attempt to leave the ground and give my life totally over to Him. I pray that we may all drink of the water that He gives and never be thirsty (John 4:14). Many Blessings, Jim Gilpin Parish Council President FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL PRESIDENT STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE Parking in the alley is not permitted. Vehicles parked illegally are subject to towing. Also, please do not double-park or block any of the exits in the church lot. Such activity may pose inconvenience to others and could be dangerous in case of an emergency. We thank you for your consideration and cooperation.